Malacañang asks remaining LSIs to wait to be sent off

FILE: Personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine National Police assist thousands of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) during the second day of the government’s Hatid Tulong program at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Sunday (July 26, 2020). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday appealed to locally stranded individuals (LSIs) to stay in their homes while waiting to be sent off to their respective provinces instead of crowding in areas where they are at risk of contracting coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this statement after Hatid Tulong executive director and Assistant Secretary Joseph Encabo earlier accused persons and families of taking advantage of the program after they took shelter at the Libingan ng mga Bayani while waiting for the trips to their provinces.

LSIs are supposed to stay at the Villamor Air Base Elementary School and Philippine Army Wellness Center but since they were full, others decided to stay at the cemetery, he added.

Roque reminded the public that only up to 10 percent of venue capacity is allowed in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), including Metro Manila.

“Nakikiusap po kami doon sa mga nagtitipun-tipon, GCQ po ngayon. Ten persons or 10 percent lang of capacity pero open air iyan so limited to 10 percent lang iyan, umuwi muna po kayo (We appeal to those gathering, we’re currently on GCQ. Ten persons or 10 percent of the capacity is allowed so stay home first),” he said in a virtual Palace briefing.

Roque assured that government would announce schedules for the “Hatid Tulong” program to prevent LSIs from gathering in one area while forgetting to maintain physical distancing.

“Kung mayroon na pong anunsiyo kung kailan ang susunod na Hatid Tulong, ay ipagbibigay-alam naman po natin sa inyong lahat sa pamamagitan po ng media (If there are announcements on when the next schedule for Hatid Tulong will be, we will inform all of you through media),” he said.

Roque also said the government is still assessing calls to lift the provincial bus ban to help bus drivers and operators recover from the impact of Covid-19 to their livelihood.

“Wala pong desisyon iyan, so bawal pa rin po ang mga provincial buses (There’s no decision yet so provincial buses are still banned),” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered officials to prioritize the sending LSIs back to their provinces since limited transportation available amid lockdowns.

Earlier, Roque assured that government would address the lapses in the implementation of the Hatid Tulong after photos of LSIs cramming inside Rizal Memorial Stadium drew flak from the public.

He said over-crowding in stadium was due to the unexpected influx of LSIs which failed to register their intention to be sent home.

Before being sent back to their respective provinces, LSIs are subjected to rapid antibody testing, which detects the presence of antibodies in an individual’s blood or serum even before symptoms of the Covid-19 start to show.

LSIs undergo quarantine and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) when they reach their hometowns.